A Sack Of Dinars
by Bone Structure
Summary: Xena finds herself unable to express her feelings, and so Aphrodite poses a challenge... XenaGabrielle. Post Many Happy Returns.


**A Sack Of Dinars**

by Bone Structure

Gabrielle traced the edges of the parchment. She could not find herself able to read the words on it. Every time she tried a nervous, yet bubbly feeling overcame her. She closed her eyes and composed herself for a moment. _You can do this, _she thought, and so she leaned in a bit closer to the fire and began to read.

_There's a moment when I look at you, and no speech is left in me._

A blush rose to her face.

_My tongue breaks, then fire races under my skin_

A tremble ran down her spine.

_And I tremble and grow pale, for I am dying of such love,_

A series of butterflies danced in her stomach.

_Or so it seems to me._

"Oh Gods," Gabrielle whispered. She nervously looked around to see if Xena had gotten back from collecting firewood. She didn't want to be seen lingering over the words of Sappho's poem.

"Is that how she feels about me?" Gabrielle asked the parchment as if it would respond to her, but it remained silent. "Why hasn't she said anything?"

-

Xena threw a rock into the lake and watched it skip a few times before settling down into the water. She smiled as the image reminded her of a metaphor she had once told Gabrielle. _I was so clear with my words then, why can't I be as clear now?_

"That stupid poem," Xena growled with evident anger. _I thought she'd know how I feel about her after it, but she hasn't mentioned it at all_. She picked up another rock and chucked it into the lake with such force that it made it to the other side before sinking. "Why can't I just say something?"

Suddenly, an eruption of sprinkles filled the air. Xena rolled her eyes, she knew who was coming and was not in the mood to welcome the goddess.

"Xena!" Aphrodite squealed, "What are you doing moping around here all by yourself?" She put her hands on her hips and looked around at the bard-less landscape.

"None of your business." Xena avoided looking at the goddess and picked up another rock.

"Hello! I'm the goddess of love, this love business of yours is _totally_ my business."

"I've got no love business." Xena looked at the goddess threateningly, and throw her rock at the water.

"I heard that dear, little poem you gave to Gabbykins, can't fool me; I know love when I see it."

Xena responded with nothing, her tough exterior was shattered. When it came to Gabrielle related matters she knew she couldn't hide her feelings, especially not to the goddess of Love.

"Just leave me alone," Xena pleaded. She hung her head, feeling ashamed of her feelings regarding her best friend and her inability to hide them from Aphrodite. "I don't need you here to tease me about... my feelings." Xena put her head in her hands and rested her elbows on her knees. She almost felt like a child.

"Xena, Xena, Xena," Aphrodite sighed, "Me tease ya? I'm just here to give you some much needed advice, you big ol' love sack."

"I don't need any advice, I'm doing just fine."

"Then why are you sitting here all by yourself?"

"I like being alone."

"You like being alone as much as my bro Ares likes puppies and rainbows."

"Shut up."

"You're all act. The whole tough warrior babe thing, psh. Pathetic, you'll fight the toughest guys around but you can't say three simple words to little Gabs over other." Aphrodite summoned a file and began filing away at her nails, "And here I thought you were all brave."

"It's not that easy!" Xena yelled so loudly that birds fled from their nest in fright.

"Hey babe, chill out! I'm just saying what you and I both know it the truth."

"I can tell her at any time! Don't go around calling me cowardly!" Xena stood up quickly and poked Aphrodite threateningly in the chest.

"I'd bet a sack of dinars that you can't work up the courage," Aphrodite gently slapped Xena's away and filed away at her nails with nonchalance.

"Watch me!"

-

"Gabrielle!" Xena called as she cleared her way into their campsite.

"Yes?" Gabrielle asked nervously. She quickly rolled up the parchment she was reading and set it aside.

_What did I just get myself into?_ Xena panicked in her mind as she saw Gabrielle's green eyes look up into hers.

"Nothing," Xena stated as calmly as she could, the overwhelming fear of rejection set in and she no longer possessed the courage to confess. "Forget it."

"Are you sure?" Gabrielle stood up from the ground and sat down on their bedroll. She sensed that Xena had something important on her mind. _The poem... could it be? Will she say something about it?_

Xena sighed, she took a seat next to Gabrielle on the bedroll but avoided looking at her. Not only had she bet Aphrodite, but she knew deep down that she would have to say something eventually, and the longer she waited the more nervous she became.

"I have something to say, and I don't know how to say it, so I'll just try to be direct..."

"Okay," Gabrielle felt a tingling sensation in her stomach, like a thousand butterflies had just been released from their cocoons at once. _This is it..._

"That poem I gave you yesterday, what do you think about it?" _Way to be direct_. Xena couldn't bring herself to say the three simple words that were bubbling in her, she just hoped that Gabrielle would understand what exactly it was that she was getting at.

"It was beautiful," Gabrielle stated in a soft voice. And then the two friends stayed silent for a while, Xena incapable of saying anything.

_She's nervous_, the bard said to herself, _I need to guide her. _Gabrielle placidly placed her hand over Xena's, she smiled and put her head neatly onto Xena's shoulder. _ Can you say it, Xena? Can you say that you love me? Do you love me? _Gabrielle listened quietly to Xena's heartbeat, it was much faster than usual and irregular.

"I was hoping that would like it... I was hoping that maybe, you would get my message." Xena's eyes did everything they could not to look at the bard. She began to fidget slightly with her hands and stretched out her legs in front of her.

"What message would that be?" Gabrielle looked up at Xena, their faces inches away from each other.

Xena couldn't say anything. She could never say anything with words, one area that wasn't covered by her many skills, and so she said what she needed to say in the only way that she knew how.

She kissed the bard.

And was the single greatest feeling in the world.

Gabrielle lightly returned the kiss for several moments, until she unwillingly pulled back to say something.

"Please, say it. Xena, I need you to say it. I need to know." Gabrielle leaned in and kissed the warrior again, but for just a moment. "I need to know."

Xena looked at the bard, her beautiful, soft face. She couldn't deny her request at all and with ease she found that the words spilled out of her mouth.

"I love you."

Gabrielle again kissed Xena, with such passion and joy that she soon forgot of her need for air until she felt lightheaded. She put her mouth to Xena's ear and between two gentle breaths she whispered something.

"I love you, Xena."

And the following morning, Xena found a sack of dinars waiting for her by the lake.

**End.**


End file.
